Apparatus of amusement



Oct. 8,1940.

c. c. HEMMINGSEN 4 I APPARATUS OF AMUSEMENT Filed April 4, was 2 sheets-sheet;

Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT orries.

APPARATUS F AMUSEMENT Carl Christian Hemmingsen, Copenhagen,

Denmark Application April 4, 1938, Serial No. 200,016 In Denmark April 22, 1937 6 Claims.

, portions of the path the cars are allowed to move,

due to the action of the centrifugal force, outwards and upwards in the crosswise direction along the concave cross section of the path.

The invention is characterized thereby that the curved path has circular cross section, and that the cars are connected in such a way with a propulsive device situated outside the cars and moving continuously and positively controlled along the said path together with the cars, that the latter when affected by the centrifugal force in the curved portions of the path may swing laterally outwards in an arc of a circle from the central line of the path. The invention is preferably so performed that each car is connected with the propulsive device bymeans of a member or members rotatable about a point or points in the centre of the arc of a circle forming the cross section of the path.

The connection between the cars and the propulsive device should not only be pivotal, but also displaceable within suitable limits in order to meet possible departures from the circular cross section of the path.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a cross section through a constructional form of the present apparatus of amusement with a car shown diagrammatically in two positions with full-drawn and dotted lines respectively Fig. 2 is a side elevation of part of the path with cars, a portion of the path proper being removed.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a modification of part of the connecting means between the two cars.

Referring now to Fig. 1, l is a frame supporting the curved path 2 by means of transverse boards 2a, the cross section of which path is formed as an arc of a circle. The cars 3 are provided with wheels which contact with and are supported by the path 2. The propulsive means connected with the cars 3 are situated below the path 2 and comprise a number of electric motors 24 mounted on a framework and driving through transmission means 25 inclined wheels 26 which run on a central guiding rail 4. The propulsive device is formed with transverse axes, tubes or rods 5 with discs or wheels 6 at theirends running on rails l, which are parallel to the central guiding rail 4 and serve to counteract or absorb possible capsizing effects on the car. In the transverse boards 2d are mounted insulators 23a carrying conducting rails 23 to which an electric current is supplied in known manner, said rails co-act with suitable springs 22 connnected with I contacting members 2! mounted on the axle 5. The contacting member 2! at the left side of Figure 1 is insulated from the axle 5 by an insulating member Ella, while the contacting member 2| at the right side of Figure 1 is in electrical 10,

connection with the axle 5. The electrical current thus passes from the one rail 23 (the left) through the spring 22 and the member 2! and by means of a cable not shown to the one pole. of the electric motor and from the other pole through the metal of the various parts which are in metallic connection with the axle 5 and then to the right contacting member 2i. Ob viously both contacting members 2! may also be insulated from the axle 5 and each connected'go through its cable with a pole of the electric motor. The car is driven from the propulsive means by a vertical rod or standard 8 projecting through a central opening or slit 9 extending in the longitudinal direction of the path 2. At its top the 25 standard 8 carries two oppositely facing ball heads Ida and H11), the first of which ifia facing the front end of a car, see Fig. 2, coacts with a bush or a bush-like body i la, which is both displaceable and rotatable in relation to the ball head Illa. To the said body i la is secured one end.

of three rods l2, l3, Hi, the rod 2 being secured at its other end to the front end of the car at the centre thereof, while the rods iii, it are secured at their other ends to each side of the car 2 at its front end too. The other ball head lllb facing the rear end of a car 3 coacts with a similar bush-like body Mb, which is secured torods I5 pivotally connected to the rear end of the car.

Inthe drawings both the cars and the said connecting means are shown merely diagrammatically, and in practice the invention may be performed in many dilferent ways. For instance, the rods I2-l5 may be replaced by tubes such as shown at l3 and M in Figs. 3 and 4 secured at their top to a kind of bush II provided with a slit ll" into which the ball head Illa or lllb engages.

As appears from Fig. 1, the wheels of each pair are relatively near to each other, and each pair of wheels is by means of an arm or member Ilia, connected with the wheel axle l6, pivotally mounted in a vertical bearing member 20 supported in the car 3 by means of plate members or like constructional members 20a, as schematically indicated in Fig. 2. The axis of the bearing member 20 is displaced relatively to the vertical axis through the centre of the pair of wheels in the manner commonly used in connection with rollers under pianos or tea tables. The two axes IS, on which the individual wheels are rotatable independent of each other, are interconnected by a rod system ll, l8, l9, so that the pairs of wheels carry out the same motions about the axes of said bearing members Zil. Such motion takes place every time, when the cars by travelling in curves are moved sidewardly by the centrifugal force, e. g., as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The path proper may be in the shape of a simple closed curve, but a particular effect is obtained, when its plan is in the shape of an eight or another closed curve of similar shape but having more than two loops for instance three, four or five loops, the crossing points being built in diiferent levels. By such a construction the particular effect is obtained that the cars are flung out alternately to one and the other side of the direction of drive. The circular shape of the cross section of the path need not be equally high at both sides, but (as indicated in Fig. 1) it need only extend for a short distance at the side,opposite to that to which the car deviates. Finally, it should be noted that the propulsive means may be placed, without modifying essentially its construction, as well above the path as under the same, it being unnecessary in the first case to slit the path by the longitudinal slit.

The invention is not limited to the constructions illustrated and described, which are only given by Way of examples to illustrate the principle of the invention.

I claim:

1. An amusement apparatus comprising a curved pathway, concave and arcuate in cross section, at least one carriage movable longitudinally along said pathway, wheels on said carriage for supporting the latter on said pathway, an auxiliary track forming a course parallel to said pathway, propelling means for said carriage movable longitudinally along said track, rigid means secured at one end to said propelling means and movable with the latter, the free end of said rigid means terminating at a point overlying said pathway substantially in the center of the arc defined by the cross section of said concave pathway, and upwardly extending means on said carriage pivotally connected to the free end of said rigid means, whereby said carriage is moved longitudinally by said propelling means and is swingable laterally about the free end of said rigid means.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising a curved pathway, concave and arcuate in cross section, said pathway being provided with a continuous longitudinal slot, a plurality of carriages movable longitudinally along said pathway, wheels on said carriages for supporting the latter on said pathway, an auxiliary track underlying said pathway, propelling means for said carriages movable longitudinally along said track, longitudinally spaced vertical standards on said propelling means projecting upwardly from the latter, through the slot in said pathway, between adjacent ends of said carriages, the upper ends of said standards terminating at points overlying said pathway substantially in the center of the arc defined by the cross section of said concave pathway, and upwardly extending, arms on the front and rear portions of said carriages pivotally connected at their upper ends to respective vertical standards, whereby said carriages are moved longitudinally by said propelling means and are swingable laterally about the upper ends of said standards.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the arm on the front portion of one carriage and the arm on the rear portion of an adjacent carriage are pivotally connected to a common standard.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 including ball heads on the upper ends of said standards, and complementary sockets on the ends of said arms.

5. An amusement apparatus comprising a curved pathway, concave and arcuate in cross section, said pathway being provided with a continuous longitudinal slot, a plurality of carriages, wheels on said carriages for supporting the latter on said pathway, said Wheels being mounted on a horizontal, transverse axis, a second axis perpendicular to said first named axis and cooperating with the latter, whereby said wheels and transverse axis are rotatable about said perpendicular axis, an auxiliary track underlying said pathway, propelling means for said carriages movable longitudinally along said track, longitudinally spaced vertical standards on said propelling means projecting upwardly from the latter through the slot in said pathway between adjacent ends of said carriages, the upper ends of said standards terminating at points overlying said pathway substantially in the center of the arc defined by the cross section of said concave pathway, and upwardly extending arms on the front and rear portions of said carriages, pivotally connected at their upper ends to respective vertical standards, whereby said carriages are moved longitudinally along said pathway by said propelling means, and are swingable laterally in said pathway about the upper ends of said standards.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said wheels are arranged in pairs, each carriage having two pairs of wheels, one at each end thereof, and means dirigibly interconnecting the two pairs of wheels together.

CARL CHRISTIAN HEMMINGSEN. 

